The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-08-23
HIS BODY RECOVERED.
WILLIE FLEETWOOD'S REMAINS
FOUND IN THE SOU III CHANNEL.


After Hours of Searching They are
Caught by the Graphing Iron-Full
Details of the Trip and the Accident
The Statement of His Friends.
The remains of Willie Fleetwood were re.
covered yesterday, the graphing irons
bringing up the body in the South Channel,
about mile south Of st. Augustine creek
Capt. W H Fleetwood, his father, went
down, in the morning, on the pilot boat
Wilder Auchoring off st. Augustine creek,
the small boats set to work dragging the
channel thoroughly. The Captain worked
his way to the railroad embanllment,
and from there examined the marsh
carefully with his glasses. Nothing could
be seen, but the Captain ascertained there
was little prospect of a swimmers reaching
the railroad embankment The sad work
went on, but unsucceSsfully, and just as the
searchers were about to stop, at o'clock,
the body was found, the grapple bringing it
up from almost under the boat.
THE RETURN TO THE CITY.
Taking the body on board, they set sail
for the city The signal was displayed for
tug as was agreed before leaving in the
event of finding the body, and the Consti-
tuition ran down and lowed the vessel up,
landing at the Lincoln street wharf at
about O'Clock. A large crowd gathered
as the boat was tied up, and expressions of
sympathy for the hereaved parents were
heard on all sides. The Coroner was tele
phoned for, and he came down and took
charge of the body. He removed the cloth
ing, and washed the head and face carefully.
No unusual marks or bruises were found on
the body and the Coroner said it was a case
of drowning. The body was dressed
in a bue-check shirt, pants
and drawers. In his pockets
were found his stockings, although the boys
i'll the party had said they We're sure he had
them on when he fell Off The Coroner re-
moved the body, and probably will hold an
inquest this morning.
STATEMENT OF HIS COMPANIONS.
The young men who composed the party
We're Messrs Mike Hennessy, George
Adams, William Google, Toney Savina and
the dead boy. Mes rs. Hennessy and Adams
last night made the following statement in
substance; They engaged boat
Of William Wilson to take
left here at midnight Saturday and pro
ceeded as far as McQueen's Marsh, where
they anchored for the night. Early Sun
day morning they started on down the river
At noon the wind freshened up and an hour
later was blowing small gale. This de-
cided the boys to return home. They were
then just below the mouth Of st. Augustine
creek and running before the wind.
THE ACCIDENT.
Google was at the helm. and as he let 60
the sheet to bring her around he said, Boys,
she is going about, aud Adams said, Look
out there for the boom" Hennessy AMI
Fleetwood were on the cabin, and as the
boom swung around the former Just escaped
it by falling into the cockpit. Fleetwood
was not so fortunate, being knocked off
the boat. They were then not more
than ten or fifteen feet from the
shore, or edge of the marsh. Hen
messy threw rope to his struggling com
rade, but it fell short. The boat had re-
gained its Roadway then and was fast leav-
ing Fleetwood, who was swimming. Seeing
this, Adams called out for him to swim to
the marsh and they would come by and pick
him up. To which Willie replied "All
right, but hurry up" They all say that if
they had thought he was hurt by the blow
they would have jumped in to save him.
HE SUNK OUT OF SIGHT.
A heavy sea was running in the South
Channel and the wind was blowing a gale
The boat was hard to manage as they had
only a monkey wrench to use as a tiller bar
The centreboard also got stuck in the trunk
and they could not lower it for several
seconds They tackled off across
the channel, ran down and went
back to where Fleetwood had been left
Both the young men say they kept their
eyes on him till they got within some thirty
of - - - =; 80 80 ". HoP
was the last elimnse thew had Of tbeir friend
They searched for mora than two hours hut
could ref no trace Of HIM and 60 tbav came
nm 10 f6n citv They saw thc,J Vent 70 tIe
barraclls firSt and then ~ Csnt Elantwood's
bouse They were "a I,nsat nv the accidont
they added thot thew barIl, L,naSy Mat 70
saw OR do "
,,
NJ Li0uoH ABOARD.
When asked ABOUT liquors being on the
boat they denied that they had any, but
sald theY hoaSnt quart ct whisky before
leaving saturday, bat drl1E II all before
they left the wharf. "Wi.'" Id not touch
a Waterman on 80. Inc ,yb,rves drank il